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Lee Scoresby
Lee Scoresby is an expert balloonist. Lee Scoresby is a skilled "aeronaut" balloonist from the country of Texas. In regards to Scoresby's name, Philip Pullman says: "Lee Scoresby comes from two sources. One is the actor Lee Van Cleef, who looks just like the character. And the other is the name of an Arctic explorer, William Scoresby.1 His exact age can only be approximated, as no precise reference is given, but makes an observation when suddenly faced by his mother's ring: "I ain't seen that ring in forty years!" Lee is an old Arctic hand, and extremely skilled with his balloons. He is sharp with a gun, though nonviolent. He is intelligent, and a bit of a mercenary, though with consistent ethics. His dream is to sell his balloons and buy a ranch back in Texas. American cowboy icon Sam Elliott will play Lee Scoresby opposite Nicole Kidman in the upcoming New Line production. Pullman has, as with all of the actors in the film, expressed satisfaction with Elliot's casting. Lee's best friend is the armored bear Iorek Byrnison. They fought together, and he once saved Iorek's life. Lee (and his dæmon, Hester the hare) pledge their support to John Faa and the Gyptians on a mission to destroy Bolvangar and save its captive children. He is delighted to learn that Iorek has been hired too. As the Gyptians finish destroying Bolvangar, Mrs. Coulter attacks with some Tartars to capture her daughter, Lyra. Lee rescues Iorek from another part of the battle, and is just in time to save Lyra and Roger Parslow from Mrs Coulter. The four, helped by witches, escape. On this journey, Lee expresses his concern to Serafina Pekkala, the queen of the witches, about the whole situation. He is worried about the war which he is about to be caught up in, and unsure who he will side with - indeed, who are the sides. However, he promises loyalty to Lyra. He is disturbed by the witches' idea of destiny. The party is attacked by cliff ghasts. Lyra falls out of the balloon, and Iorek and Roger go to rescue her as soon as the balloon can be put down. As Lee floats with the witches, Lord Asriel tears the path into another world open. Buffetted by winds, Lee and the witches are swept far away, but manage to regroup for a witch council. Lee is given the unique privilege of joining it. Lee informs Serafina and the others that he has heard of an object which can protect the bearer. A mysterious professor called Grumman knows of its whereabouts. Lee intends to seek out Grumman and then take the object (the Subtle Knife) to Lyra. On his mission, he is forced to kill a servant of the Church. He takes his ring, which can command some power and authority. Lee and Hester find Grumman, and learn that he is really John Parry, from our own world. John has become a shaman and can command magic. He claims that he drew Lee with his mother's ring. The pair set off to find the Bearer of the Subtle Knife, Grumman to inform him of his task and Lee to get Lyra under his protection. They use the Church's ring to regain Lee's confiscated balloons. As the pair make their escape, they are pursued. The shaman's magic destroy three of the enemy four zeppelins, but Lee loses his balloon in the process. Escaping from the last one, they are pursued into a narrow gorge. Lee holds the pass as Grumman escapes, killing all of the enemies and blowing up the zeppelin. He is killed in the process. His death is described in a very moving way, with him saying goodbye to his weeping dæmon (soul), embracing her tenderly for the last time until she disappears. Lyra and Will Parry find him in the world of the dead, and he briefly returns to fight the Spectres before his particles scatter and set off to find Hester's. He also mentions searching for his mother's particles, and those of "his sweethearts". edit Stanislaus Grumman Dr. Stanislaus Grumman, aka Colonel John Parry, or Jopari, is the father of Will Parry and the husband of Elaine Parry. John Parry was a famous English explorer and a colonel in the Royal Marines in Will's world. At one point, he went on an archaeological exploration of Alaska. There, he had high hopes of finding a mythological portal to a different realm. He was unsuccessful at first, but he and his companions eventually found and went through the portal by accident during a blizzard and were brought to the world of Cittàgazze. His two companions were killed by the Spectres shortly after. He ventured through Cittàgazze and found a portal to the world of Lyra Belacqua. When he arrived, he met his very own dæmon Sayan Kötör, the Osprey. He eventually changed his name to Stanislaus Grumman, likely because he needed a name that seemed natural to the world. Some time after, he attended the Berlin Academy. He became both a famous and slightly infamous explorer, infamous for his strange curiosity towards the world and its elements. He showed specific interest in Dust and its entities. Most of his studies of the strange substance are unknown. At one point, he even joined the Yenisei tribe and had trepanation done to his skull. He became a leader and shaman of the tribe and took the name Jopari, a slight differentia of John Parry. Mystery enveloped the life of Grumman after that. Many believed he was dead, although there were many other rumours. The members of Jordan College believed he was dead after Lord Asriel showed them a frozen, severed head and tricked them into believing it was Grumman's. But Grumman remained away, in the village of the Yenisei tribe. In The Subtle Knife, Lee Scoresby is sent to find Grumman. He eventually finds him, although Grumman explains that it was his calling that allowed Lee to find him. Lee takes Grumman to Cittàgazze at his wishing, as he wishes to find the bearer of the Æsahættr. As they make their way to the bearer, they are chased by soldiers in four zeppelins. Stan uses his powers to create a storm to destroy one of them. During the night, Sayan Kötör commands the birds of the forest to destroy another. He destroys the third by making a Spectre attack its pilot. With all his strength sapped, he is unable to destroy the fourth zeppelin. Lee remains behind to fend off the men while Grumman escapes. Grumman promises to protect Lyra for him. Grumman finds the bearer, Will, in a dark cave and fights with him after Will attacks him in the pitch darkness. Grumman uses some blood moss to heal Will's wound. He tells him of the great destiny that has been bestowed upon. He tells him that he must defeat the Authority, ignoring the oath he made to Lee Scoresby. When some light is shaded, he sees Will's face they both realize who the other is. But then an arrow shot by Juta Kamainen, a witch he scorned, pierces Grumman's heart and he dies. Category:Characters